Century Plant (Agave Americana)

[zach]

So I was told I need to remove three agave plants that are beginning to die from the yard. The plant sends up a stalk and flowers prior to the end of life. I've cut off this stalk which I've read extends the life of the plant a little.

It didn't take long for my mind to drift to how to make mezcal. I might have 100 to 150 lbs of pina to work with. I've read it takes 11 lbs of agave to make a bottle of tequila. I doubt that I can achieve that efficiency, but I will try. A google search of this variety of agave yielded a page full of commercial products made from this plant.

I'd like any advice from those that have been down this road. This is the process I'm planning:

1) After cleaning up the pina and cutting in section I was planning on cooking on the grill at 350 F in pans. I 've read to discard the juices from the first 4 hours which are bitter.

2) Then I'm going chop further and cook at 190 F for 48 hours. I have a 15 gallon stainless fermenter I can place in a trash can and heat the water in the trash can to maintain temp in a double boiler arrangement. I want to try a paint mixer on a drill to break up the pulp as it cooks.

3) Check brix at 48 hours and continue if not converted. Adjust brix to 16 with dilution or adding agave syrup, and ferment juice on pulp. I was planning on using baker's yeast.

4) Strip 80% of mixture. I'm comfortable with pulp in my boiler and don't want to squeeze.

5) Take low wines and remaining 20% of the mixture for my spirit run. I have a lm head but will likely run it like a pot still.

Thank you in advance for any advice.

Zach